7 days to live p1

Intro  --- Chapter One: The Fall The rotors screamed against the wind, slicing through a sky bruised with stormclouds. Inside the battered transport helicopter, five figures sat in silence—each one tethered to the mission by secrets they hadn’t shared. Anya Vostrikov, the medic, clutched her satchel like a lifeline. Her red eyes flicked nervously between the others, sensing tension she couldn’t heal. Dane Rourke, the soldier, sat rigid, rifle across his lap. His gaze was locked on the horizon, jaw clenched. He’d seen too many missions go sideways. This one smelled wrong. Milo “Stitch” Kessler, the mechanic, was muttering to himself, fingers dancing across a handheld diagnostic pad. “Engine’s running hot,” he said, not loud enough for anyone to care. Reyka Thorn, the survivalist, leaned against the wall, eyes closed. She felt the shift in air pressure before the others did. Her instincts screamed. Silas Vane, the gun seller, was the only one smiling. “Storm’s a bit theatrical, don’t you think?” he said, voice smooth as oil. “Almost like someone planned it.” Then came the jolt. A shriek of metal. A flash of red across the console. Stitch’s pad lit up with warnings. The helicopter lurched violently, spinning as one rotor failed mid-flight. “Brace!” Dane barked. Reyka was already moving, strapping herself in and grabbing Anya’s arm. Silas calmly reached into his coat and pulled out a compact pistol—not to shoot, but to anchor himself against the wall. The forest below rushed up like a tidal wave of green. Impact. The world shattered into noise, splinters, and flame. --- Chapter Two: The Woods Whisper When Anya woke, her ears rang and her vision blurred. Smoke curled from the wreckage. The helicopter was torn in half, one rotor embedded in a tree trunk like a grotesque trophy